Arch support



Jan. 24, 1928. 1,657,367

7 F. A. BROWNELL ARCH4SUPPORT Filed June 20. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

' ATTORNEY Jan. 24, 1928. 1,657,367

F. A. BROWNELL ARCH SUPPORT F iled June 20, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2 4 INVENTOR.

Patented Jan. 24, 1928.

FRANK A. BROWNELL, F BQGHES'IER, YORK ARCH SUPPORT.

Application filed June 20; 1923; Serial No. 646,509.

My present invention relates to shoes and more particularly to devices built in or insertable into shoes to give support to weak or.

fallen arches and the invention has for its object to provide a simple, compact and (id rable device of this nature that can be conveniently and accurately adjusted to a raised or lowered position which givesthe desired su port to thefoot of a particular wearer. o these and other ends the in vention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out int-he claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through a shoe provided with an arch support constructed in accordance with and illustrating one embodiment of my in- 'vention.

Figure 2 is a side view of the arch supporting device removed from the shoe.

Figure 3 is anenlarged longitudinal section through the arch supporting device in normal or lowered posit-ion.

Figure i is a similar view of the arch supporting device partly broken away with the parts in a raised position.

Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective View of the casing member.

Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective vlew of the shank member partly broken away.

Figure? is a plan view of the arch supporting device removed.

Figure 8 is a bottom View thereof. Figure 9 is anenlarged plan view of the cam mechanism in one position of adjustment.

Figure 10 is a similar view of the cam mechanism in another position of adjustment.

Figure 11 is an enlarged transverse SGClllOIl on the line 1111 of Figure 8.

Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate the same parts.

My invention is applicable both to arch supporting devices insertible in shoes as an accessory and to devices that are built into the shoe but in the present instance I have illustrated the latter arrangement. Reter ring more particularly to the drawings 1 indicates a shoe having a heel 2, an outsole 8, an insole 4:, and a sock lining- 5. The arch supporting mechanism is prererably located on the insole 4 beneath the sock lining 5 and accessible for adjustment from the exterior of the shoe through an opening 6 in the outsole 3. t embodies ametalshanl: stiffener 7 having an aperture 8 in the rear end thereof by means of which it is secured to the heel portion of the shoe with a nail 9. Forwardly of this opening the shank stifiener is provided with a bearing opening 10 and withshort longitudinal slotsll adjacent thereto. Fitted against its under side is a shallow casing member 12having lugs 18 occupying the slots 11 to guide the casing for longitudinal movement. The bottom wall of the casing is also provided with longitudinally elongated openings 14s and 15.

Overlying the shank stiffener 7 is a spring metal arch supporting plate 16 the forward end of which is secured to theinsole 4.- by

nails 17 passing through openings 18. The

rear end is provided with openingsin which are riveted reduced portions 19 on the'lugs 13 of the casing 12 so that the rear end of the arch supporting plate moves with the casing 12 in the guide slots 11 and the casing is held against the shank stiffener by a headed rivet 20 secured in the shank stiffener '2 and extending through the slot 15 of the easing.

Botatahl-y mounted within l the bearing opening 10 is a disk 21 having a camslot 22 therein and a non-circular central opening 23 to receive operatingkey or tool inserted through theopening 6 in the outsole with which the opening 23 is in alignment. Passing through the cam slot 22 and slidably occupyiiig the same is the enlarged central portion of a rivet 24 having its upper ends secured in the arch plate 16 at 25 and its lower ends secured in the casing 12 at 26.

The forward end of the shank stiffener 7 is provided with an opening 26 While the arch plate 16 is provided with an adjacent opening2j7. A tongue 28 on the shank stiff ener 7 and a tongue 29 ontho plate 16 interlock with each other through these openings til the lugs 13 on the casing 12 travelling in the slots 11 in the shank stiffener 7 and by the headed pin 20 secured in the shank stiffener and passing through the casing.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an adjustable arch supporter for shoes, thecombination with a shank stiffener having a bearing opening therein and a resiliently flexible arch plate carried thereby having one end fixed against longitudinal movement, of a cam disk. turning in the bearing and an operating connection for the arch plate engaging the cam disk inwardly of its periphery whereby to operate the other endof the arch plate in longitudinal directions J 2. In an adjustable arch supporter for shoes, the combination with a shank stiffener and a resiliently flexible arch plate superposed thereon having one end fined against longitudinal movement, of a rotatable member on the shank stiflener'having a cam slot therein and a pin on thearch plate cooperating with the slot to flex the plate into a bowed position when the rotatable member is turned.

3. In an adjustable arch supporter for shoes, the combination with a shank stiffener having a bearing opening therein and are- 'siliently flexible arch plate superposed thereon, of a rotatable disk in the bearing opening having a canislot therein'anda pin near one end of the arch plate cooperating with the slot, the opposite end of the arch plate being fixed to the shank stiffener against longitudinal movement.

l. In an adjustable arch supporter for shoes, the combination with a shank stiffener and a resiliently flexible arch plate superposed thereon having one endfixed against longitudinal movement, of a rotary element on the shank stiffener adapted to draw together the ends of the arch plate to regulate its curvature, and a housing meinberfor the rotary element located on the under side of As before stated,

the shank stiffener and movable with the arch plate.

5. In an adjustable arch supporter for shoes, the combination with a shank stiffener and a resiliently flexible arch plate superposed thereon and having one end fixed against longitudinal movement, of a rotary thereon and having one end fixed against 'longitudinal movement, of a rotary cam disk arranged in the bearing opening, a slidable member on the under side of the shank stiffener and means connecting the free end of the latter-with the sliding memher and arranged to be actuated by the cam.

7. In an adjustable arch supporter for shoes, the combination with a shank stiliener having a bearing opening therein and a re siliently flexible arch plate superposed thereon and having one end fixed against longitudinal movement, of a rotary cam disk arranged in the bearing opening, a housing for the disk arranged on the under side oi: the shank stiffener and guided therein and apin connecting the housing with the free end of the arch supporting plate and adapt ed tobe acted upon by the cam to force the ends of the arch supporting plate together.

8. The combination with a shoe having an outsole provided with an opening, of a shank stiffener within the shoe, a resiliently flexible archplate superposed thereon and having'oneend fixed against long gitudimil movement, a key controlled clement rotatably disposed within an opening of the shank stiffener to act upon the arch plate and move its free end toward its fixed end, said rotary element being provided with an opening in alignment with the opening in theoutsole andaccessible therctln'ough by means of a key and a guide movable upoh in registry with the opening of the rotary element.

FRANK A. BROWNELL. 

